Moderators and mediators of cross-cultural training effectiveness: literature review and development of a conceptual model

Abstract

The aim of the study is to develop an encompassing conceptual model of cross-cultural training (CCT) effectiveness which illustrates the relationship between CCT and intercultural competence. A literature review was conducted in order to identify relevant contextual moderators and mediators of CCT effectiveness. The literature review focuses on 20 journal articles and three doctoral dissertations published between 1966 and 2015, and reveals that CCT effectiveness is particularly moderated by the international experience of the trainee, the cultural distance between the home and the host country, personality factors and the trainee's learning style. Important mediators are, among others, cultural intelligence and cultural adjustment. The identified moderators and mediators were categorised to increase the general validity of the conceptual model. The model is in line with Bandura's social cognitive theory and allows conclusions to be drawn for the selection of training candidates as well as the design and evaluation of CCT.